


Arrangement

by hungrybookworm



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Arranged Marriage, F/F, First Meeting, Prequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-02
Updated: 2015-02-02
Packaged: 2018-03-10 03:29:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3275027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hungrybookworm/pseuds/hungrybookworm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a few weeks, Shinmyoumaru will marry a man she barely knows. Then a woman named Seija Kijin shows up, and changes everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Arrangement

**Author's Note:**

> Touhou Project (c) ZUN/Team Shanghai Alice
> 
> Based on the request "SeiShin, 44 (Two Roads)" from tumblr user amemenojaku. I need a Seija detox...

There were no sunrises in the world of oni, and no sunsets. Only the lamplight glowing through the townscape gave a hint to the time of day. Oni were active at all hours, but at night the lights were brightest, and the yells and jeers and endless chatter nigh deafening.

The inchlings were more active at night too, as a necessity. Night was the most plentiful; when they best gathered resources, and scavenged food. The oni were often too drunk or otherwise occupied to notice a plate of party food suddenly disappear under their noses, or a few articles of clothing go missing from their drawers. The timing had to be impeccable; inchlings were considered pests, and one wrong move could result in casualties.

Shinmyoumaru didn’t have to worry about all that, for now. She had never left the castle grounds, and wasn’t allowed on scavenger missions. She had only glimpsed an oni once or twice in her life, and saw the rest in picture books and paintings. Her tutors would wrinkle their noses when she asked about oni, and declare that the princess need not worry about such things. She reached adulthood without once leaving the grounds, even for special events or parades. Her only hint to life beyond was the echoes that bounced off the cavern’s endlessly high ceiling: shouts and laughter of far away parties.

Her life was heading in one direction, like a mine cart being gently rolled along its track. The surrounding people pushed her along, ensuring there was no chance of her slipping backwards, or otherwise falling off the rails. And Shinmyoumaru was fine with that. Her future lay in leading her people. She would be fed, clothed, waited on and always get the best of everything. She had no reason to long for anything else.

Then one day, her mother requested her presence. Shinmyoumaru dressed in her finest clothes, and was led to her mother’s study. There was an unfamiliar man with her – an inchling old enough to be her father.

Her mother, the queen, introduced them. “Shinmyoumaru, this is your fiancé.”

Shinmyoumaru tilted her head, confused. The man smiled gently, and bowed.

The wedding was set for three months later.

*****  
Shinmyoumaru couldn’t understand why it bothered her so much. Her fiancé was gentle, and a highly intelligent man. He would talk for hours about politics and the inner workings of the palace. He was a noble, and well suited to aid her future role as queen. The servants spoke highly of him, saying that he would take good care of her and any future children they had.

She had known for many years that her husband would be picked for her, and trusted her mother’s judge of character. Shinmyoumaru had never felt interested in any of the men in the palace, nor understood why her female servants gossiped about boys so much. If she had no preference for one herself, then what was the harm in letting someone else pick for her? That way she could focus on her studies, and spend her free time swinging her sword in the grounds.

But now, as the days drew closer to her wedding, she found herself feeling sicker and sicker. She couldn’t concentrate on anything – books, lessons, even her fencing technique. Nightmares of being trapped or locked away haunted her as she slept. She was restless, and keen to keep moving. Her mother scolded her for fidgeting at important dinners, and took her aside afterwards. “I know you’re excited, but you must remain on your best behaviour,” she snapped.

It was the week before the rehearsal that something changed. Shinmyoumaru woke up after only three hours of sleep, and knew that she had to leave the palace. Her servants were asleep; there was no one to stop her. She dressed herself the best she could, grabbed her needle sword and her bowl helmet, and escaped through the window, carefully climbing down the palace wall until she dropped into the bushes.

Getting out was effortless. No one was guarding the gates. The further she got from the grounds, the more at ease she felt. And soon her anxiety changed to excitement.

For the first time in her life, she was outside.

What would she do first? Most of the inchlings were asleep, so there was barely anyone around. She walked through settlements, investigating houses made from all kinds of materials – from tin boxes to dirt piles – and peeked in through the windows. She ran up and down the road, imagining merchants selling their wares in market stalls. And then up ahead she saw a bright white hill, just begging to be explored. She dashed forward, resisting the urge to giggle, and turned a corner.

She yelped, and staggered to a halt. The bright white hill was a person. A big person! Shinmyoumaru immediately grabbed her needle sword, trying to remember her training. The person was lying down, their back to her. She hadn’t been noticed yet. Shinmyoumaru had to run away, but her feet wouldn’t move. Her legs weren’t listening to her.

The big person groaned, and moved. Shinmyoumaru squealed, her needle sword slippery in her hands from sweat. She glimpsed messy black hair, horns, red and black patterns on the white cloth… it was an oni. It had to be. This was her first time seeing one up close.

The oni looked at her, and frowned. She was an idiot. She hadn’t run away in time, and now it was all over for her. One slap and she’d be crushed. But Shinmyoumaru wasn’t going down that easily. “Stay back!” she snapped, as authoritatively as she could. “State your name.”

The oni grinned at her, amused. They sat up, and crossed their arms, looking down at Shinmyoumaru. “You can relax, I won’t crush you.” Their voice was a whisper, but to tiny Shinmyoumaru it rumbled like thunder. “In fact, I’m looking for someone. Perhaps you can help me find them?”

“Are you an oni?” asked Shinmyoumaru, somewhat bothered by their politeness. Weren’t oni meant to be loud and rowdy?

The big person paused. Their smile flickered. For a second they looked annoyed. “No, I’m… I’m not an oni. I’m looking for her Royal Highness Shinmyoumaru Sukuna. I have vital information to deliver to her, which I can only give in person. Perhaps you can tell me how I can make contact with her?”

“That’s me.” Shinmyoumaru wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to say, but it was the truth, and she valued being honest. “I’m Shinmyoumaru Sukuna. Tell me your business.”

The big person looked surprised. Then they laughed. Laughed and laughed until they clutched their stomach. “Are you serious?”

“Of course I’m serious!” Shinmyoumaru felt annoyed. “Do I need to prove it?”

“It’s fine, I have a way of knowing for sure.” The big person regained their composure, and bowed. “My name is Seija Kijin. Excuse my impoliteness, princess. I have vital information to give to you, and in turn, an offer. I would be honoured if you would consider it.”

Shinmyoumaru listened.

And her mouth fell open.

*****  
Nobody questioned why Shinmyoumaru was so quiet the next day. Most assume it was nerves due to the upcoming wedding. Her tutors reassured her that everything would go fine, that a happy life awaited her. Her servants giggled and tried to speculate what the wedding outfits would look like. Her mother smiled at her at mealtimes.

Shinmyoumaru couldn’t stop thinking about Seija. About her offer of a revolution in Gensokyo, about the true history of the inchlings, about the Miracle Mallet, _the Miracle Mallet!_ It really existed. Seija had held it up in the air to show her, letting its intricate patterns shine in the lamplight. And Seija was so polite, so patient, and answered all of Shinmyoumaru’s questions perfectly. She showed far more insight than any of her tutors.

And she was beautiful. 

Shinmyoumaru felt resentful of her small size. She wished Seija was an inchling too, who could become her friend and teach her all kinds of things. Imagining them chatting every day in the grounds made her face blush bright red.

And it made the wedding seem even more horrible. The thought of her fiancé holding her hand in the future, and not Seija, made her want to cry.

It made the decision easy. Almost effortless. Maybe it was a spur of the moment thing, but she would go mad if she stayed there any longer. That night she wrote three letters: one addressed to her servants, one to her mother, and one to her fiancé. She placed them under her pillow, then gathered as many things she could find. And just like the night before, she slipped through the window, out of the gates and into the world beyond.

Shinmyoumaru wasn’t stupid. She knew this could all be a trap; a ruse to lure her away from the safety of the palace. To kidnap her and hold her for ransom, or far worse. But she didn’t care anymore. She just wanted to see Seija again, and hear more about the truth.

Seija was waiting for her. It took everything she had to not run over.

“So you’ve decided to accept my offer?” Seija smiled.

“I have,” said Shinmyoumaru. “Take me to Gensokyo. Let me avenge the shame and humiliation my people have suffered at the hands of its youkai. I command you.”

Seija bowed. “Of course. Allow me to carry you; it will be faster that way.”

Shinmyoumaru paused, frightened by the concept, but she had to be brave. “Please.” She braced herself as Seija’s hands curls around her, and lifted her off her feet.

Lifting her off the tracks of her old life, to somewhere new.

“Stop her!”

Shinmyoumaru squeaked. Wasn’t that her fiancé’s voice? Through the gaps between Seija’s fingers, she saw him lead a group of twenty inchling men along the road, heading straight towards them. Fear rushed through her. She couldn’t go back now; they had to get away.

But Seija was moving. Shinmyoumaru was bounced up and down with each stride. There was no need to run. The inchlings were sprinting as fast as they could, needle swords unsheathed, but Seija was a giant to them. There was no contest.

And the palms of Seija’s hands were warm. Shinmyoumaru clung to a finger, and watched her fiancé fade out of sight. He was still shouting as he disappeared, and Shinmyoumaru felt sorry for him. Maybe they would marry him off to a different girl while she was gone.

Inchlings were weak. They were powerless against someone bigger than them. If Seija was a bad person, she could’ve massacred the whole army with a few kicks. The reality hit Shinmyoumaru hard, and the importance of their upcoming revolution was clearer than ever.

There was no going back.

**Author's Note:**

> 1) I tried a different writing style for this one. No idea if it really works or not, but it was fun. Posh narrative voices fit the upper classes quite well, I think.
> 
> 2) The plot is based off a dream I had a few nights ago, about Shinmyoumaru having a fiancé, but meeting up with Seija in secret. In the dream they plotted to get rid of the fiancé and his men, and complete their revolution by themselves. Including that would've made the fic even longer though! So it just ends with Seija carrying Shinmyoumaru off. This isn't how I personally headcanon Seija and Shinmyoumaru's first meeting going, but it's fun to play around with what ifs and stuff.
> 
> 3) The prompt is 'two roads' but the big metaphor was about mine carts instead. Oops! Well there's still a road in the story, so I guess it's okay!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
